#1227 Railway Relevance, Summarized 

Thus, the Otherworld Railway makes peace with the Wagon Guild. 

After a fierce race, the railway cars and Sakamoto lock eyes, sharing mutual respect. 

“You were blazing out there! Let’s race again sometime!” 
“We won’t lose next time! Let’s go all out, fair and square!” 

The otherworldly railway cars beam with 100% sportsmanlike rivalry. 

On the other hand, Sakamoto, being a horse at heart, doesn’t reply with words. Instead, he flashes a rival-worthy smirk and takes off into the sky. 

“…Hmph, not much for banter, is he?” 
“That’s just how he is. I’m sure next time, we’ll get a little closer.” 

There’s a bond that only those who chase speed can understand. 

…By the way, Sakamoto. 
You’re just gonna fly off and leave me here? 

How am I supposed to get home? 
Well, knowing him, he’ll probably realize he forgot me and turn back soon.  
Worst case, I can have Veil fly me back. 

I might as well make good use of the situation. 

The crowd that gathered for the railway-vs-carriage showdown is still buzzing with excitement around, after all. 

Thanks to this event, both sides got to recognize each other’s strengths and pride.  
We’ve taken a step toward mutual understanding. 

A huge step forward. 
All for the future of otherworld logistics, of course. 

If the railway is the main artery, then the carriages serve as capillaries.  
Arteries and capillaries. 
Both are vital to circulate blood through every corner of the body. It takes both to make a full circulatory system. 

Logistics are the same. Eventually, we were always going to build up a delivery service attached to the railway. 

This race just happened to be the perfect launching point. 
Strike while the iron’s hot, as the saying goes, so I jumped at the opportunity. 

I bring up the idea to the Wagon Guildmaster on the spot, and he’s thrilled. 

“A distribution network linking carriages with the railway?! Wonderful, this is exactly what we’ve been waiting for!!!” 

That’s great to hear. 
If we connect the Demon Capital and the Human Capital with a direct railway line, there’s bound to be a few big cities along the way. If we extend the distribution network from there, the Wagon Guild could profit massively. 

…Though I bet disputes will start popping up over which cities get a station.  
Just like how Shizuoka and Yamanashi always bicker over the maglev line. 
...Those two prefectures really do argue over everything, huh.  
Anyway, moving on. 

For now, the priority is coordination with the Wagon Guild. 

We continue gathering shipments in Rondmelt (demon side) and San-Chome (human side), working together to smooth out deliveries in the Farm Kingdom. 

I mean, the Farm Kingdom’s been expanding fast. 
It’s about time we had people dedicated to transport inside the territory. 

When I bring this up to the Guildmaster... 

“Absolutely! One of our core duties is placing people and horses where they’re needed! Contributing to society is part of the Guild’s mission!” 

…Wait. Horses? 

“There are drivers worn out from long-haul routes. We can ask around, and I’m sure we’ll get some volunteers! Either way, we of the Wagon Guild hope for a long, fruitful partnership with you, Lord Saint!” 

Likewise, looking forward to working together. 

The Farm Kingdom also wants to export lumber from all the trees we’re clearing. If we can make transportation smoother, that helps a ton. 

Actually, while we’re at it, why not add some extra value to carriage transport? 
What’s something carriages don’t have that my knowledge can help with…? 

…Cool delivery. 

Some goods just don’t last long—perishables have always been a logistical problem. 

How do you deliver food that spoils quickly over long distances? 
It’s one of humanity’s oldest and biggest logistical challenges. Overcoming it has always been a driving force of civilization. 

If we offer refrigerated delivery as a perk of working with us, the Wagon Guild is bound to love it. 

...All right then, let’s use our farm tech to make cool delivery real. 

*** 

Later, we start working on the cool wagons. 

We begin with the cart the horse pulls. 
To keep the temperature inside steady, we need highly insulating materials. 

And it still has to be light enough for a horse to pull. 

After some thought, we go with a double structure, wood on the outside, aluminum on the inside, with air sealed in between for insulation. 
We tightly seal it to prevent air from leaking or mixing. 

Then comes the final weapon: mermaid-made freezing magic potions to keep the inside below zero. Boom, Otherworldly Cool Carriage complete! 

I built about ten prototypes and gifted them to the Wagon Guild. 
They were overjoyed. 

“W-With carriages like these, the entire food transport landscape will change! As expected of Lord Saint! Incredibleeeeeee!!!” 

Glad they like it. 
But obviously, those freezing potions run out with each use, so they’ll have to keep restocking through our farm. 
It’s tough having your core tech in someone else’s hands, huh. 

As I’m chatting with them, Mr. Shax barges in from the side... 

“Lord Saint! Please, may our company be granted the honor of distributing these carriages?!” 

Of course the merchants never miss a beat… 

“Dear’s casually accelerating the pace of this world’s civilization again, huh...” 
“I’m used to it by now~” 

I hear Platy and Veil muttering from afar, but I don’t care. 
I’m doing what I can for the Farm Kingdom’s tomorrow! 

“Very well! If it’s for the cause, I, the mighty Grinzel Dragon Veil, shall not hesitate to lend my aid!!!” 

Veil starts stringing together some needlessly fancy words. 
So… is that a yes? 

“With my help, the world’s horses will be more energized than ever! Efficiency will skyrocket! The world will shrink! Time speeds up!” 

She’s saying grand things, but what exactly is she planning? 

“I’ll have the horses drink gonkotsu soup.” 

Hey, hey, hey...! 

“Genius, right? Gonkotsu soup is already proven to enhance stamina and performance! Of course, I’ll dilute it to be safe… Wait, should it be even more diluted for horses than humans?” 

You’re supposed to test on animals first, not the other way around! 

“Gufufufufu…! Gonkotsu soup has already reached nearly every human out there. Expanding it to other species is a stroke of brilliance! Time to drain the whole pot dry!” 

It’s basically industrial waste at this point… Originally, it was just a way for Veil to deal with leftover dragon extract. 
If we dump it into the sea or mountains, we don’t know what kind of environmental disaster we’ll trigger. So, Veil’s stuck under my and Sensei's strict supervision, trying to use it up bit by bit. 

But now, the dream is within reach. 
If every carriage horse drinks it, the consumption rate will be insane. 
…Assuming they do drink it. 

“Sis Veil! We sensed something ominous and came flying!” 
“The dragon extract’s running low! So, we filled the next stockpot to the brim!!!” 

Two dragons swoop down from the sky, dangling massive soup pots filled to the top with fresh gonkotsu soup... 

“GYAAAAAAAAHHH! I SAID NO REFILLS! DAMN IT, I CAN’T KEEP UP! I DRAIN IT AND YOU JUST MAKE MORE! THERE’S NO END TO THISSSSSSS!!!” 

And so, Veil sinks yet again into the bottomless swamp of gonkotsu soup...!